Method of shoe making



4, .3933. T. J. CUTHBERT 3,

METHOD OF SHOE MAKING Filed May 24, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'NVENHJ R by W. CPJZMQ all.

April 4, 19223. J, CUTHBERT 1,903,374

METHOD OF S'HOE MAKING Filed May 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 12 Patented Apr. 4, 1933 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE THOMAS J. CUTHBERT, OF 'WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STETSON SHOE COMPANY, INC., OF WEYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS mnon OF SHOE MAKING Application filed May 24,

The present demand in womens footwear is for a relatively light shoe, and especially for a shoe havin a light shank of neat ap pearance and whlch fits the adjacent portions of theupper relatively closely and snugly.

10' Attempts to supply this demand by shoes of the Goodyear welt type have not been wholly successful, have led to numerous manufacturing difiiculties, have required expensive special operations, such as shank breaking and randing, and have resulted in numerous damaged or crippled shoes representing a substantial loss. As a result, in the womens footwear trade shoes of other types have largely displaced shoes of'the Goodyear welt type, notwithstanding the well-known advantages of shoes of the latter type.

The present invention has for its general object to overcome the difliculties above referred to and to provide a shoe of the Good year welt type which will fully comply with all of the resent day requirements of the trade, whic can be inexpensively manufactured, and in whose production danger of damage is substantially eliminated. Also, in accordance with the invention,'the usual rough-rounding and channelling of the outsole after laying is done away with, and ex cessivewetting of the outsole for the purpose of properly tempering the same is avoided, thereby making it ossible to apply a better appearing bottom nish.

The foregoing and other objectsoithe invention will best be understood from the 01- thereof.

1930. Serial No. 455,158.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view, partly broken away, of a shoe embodying the invention.

' Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken substantially on the lines 2-2 and 3- 3, respectively, Fig.1.

Fig. etis a perspective view, partly broken away, of the preformed outsole.

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing tlfie outsole prepared for application to the s oe.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the lasted and welted shoe prepared for the application of the outsole shown in Fig. 6.

"Fig. 8 is 'a perspective view illustrating the method of applying the outsole to the s oe.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 9 9, Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig, 1, illustrating an alternative construction.

In accordance with the invention, a shoe of the Goodyear welt type is lasted and welted inany usual or well-known manner, the edges of the upper '15 and welt 16 being secured to the lip 17 of the insole 18 by the usual inseam 19. .The outsole 20, instead of being rough-rounded and channelled after being laid, is, before its application to the shoe, trimmed to substantially its final outline, molded to approximatel its final shape, and channelled around the orepart only as indicated at 21 and as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. The edges of the shank portion are preferably skived oil to reduce their thick- ,ness, as indicated at 22. If desired, sufiicient roduce submaterial may be skived oil to stantially a feather edge. The s ank portion of the bottom of the shoe, including preferper the same, and the pyroxylin coatings 23 and 24 softened by a suitable solvent applied thereto. Also the forepart of the shoe bottom has applied thereto the usual rubber or other cement 25 for holding the outsole in place during stitching. The outsole 20 is then carefully positioned upon the shoe, as shown in Fig. 8, and the shank portion thereof held under pressure by a suitable die 26 shaped to press the edges 22 and the interposed portions of the welt 16 against the adjacent portions of the upper 15, thereby molding the edges of the outsole into close proximity to the adjacent portions of the upper and causing the shank portion of the out sole to be secured to the shank portion of the insole and adjacent portions of the welt by adhesive only. The forepart of the sole may then be stitched to the forepart of the welt in the usual manner, the stitching 27 beingseated in the channel 21 above referred to.

In some instances the channelling of the sole and the stitching around the forepart may be omitted and the outsole secured to the bottom of the shoe and to the welt by pyroxylin cement throughout, as indicated at 28 in Fig. 10.

It will be seen that, by the method above described, numerous advantages are secured. The rough-rounding and channelling of the sole after laying is avoided, such channelling as may be necessary being done in the sole leather room before the sole is laid, and the work of the stitcher being facilitated by the smooth finished edge of the outsole. As compared to the ordinary Goodyear shoe, the shoe produced as above described has a much lighter, narrower and more closely fitted shank, the molding of the edges of the shank portion of the outsole eliminating the shank breaking and randing operations heretofore required. Since there is no outseam stitching along the shank, damage of the shoes at this point during manufacture is reducedto a minimum, and the workmanship at the breast of the heel is facilitated and improved.

'There being no channel in the shank portion of the sole, better and more attractive finishing of the shank bottom is made possible. Also, smaller outsoles andv narrower and lighter welting can be be used, thereby not only improving the appearance of the product but making possible a saving in stock. The preformation of the outsole prior to its application to the shoe reduces to about one sixth the amount of wetting necessary in order to temper the outsoles, making a better bottom finish possible. These and other ing an outsole by trimming the same to substantially its final outline, molding it to approximately its final shape, and channelling it around the forepart only, and thereafter cementing the edges of the shank portion of said outsole and stitching the edges of the forepart thereof to the welt.

2. The method of making shoes of the Goodyear welt type, which includes lasting and welting the shoe, associating therewith an outsole having its shank portion trimmed to substantially its final outline and molded into approximately its final shape, and attaching .the edges of said shank portion to the Welt in close proximity to the upper sole ly by adhesive.

3. The method of making shoes of the Goodyear welt type, which includes lasting and welting'the shoe, associating therewith an outsole having its shank ortion trimmed to substantially its final out ine and molded into approximately its final shape, and attaching the edges of said shank portion to the welt in close proximity to the upper solely by adhesive, while pressing said edges and the interposed portionsof the welt against the adjacent portions of the upper.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS J. CUTHBERT.

advantages will, however, be obvious to those skilled in the art without further explanation.

. -What I claim is:

1. The herein described method of making shoes of the Goodyear welt type which ineludes lasting and welting the shoe, prepar- 

